Wayne County Felony Records

Wayne County felony records are maintained by the County Clerk's Office in Lyons. The county borders Lake Ontario to the north and is part of the 7th Judicial District alongside Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, and Yates counties. Felony cases are heard in Wayne County Court, and all court files are stored through the Clerk's Office. The Sheriff's Office keeps arrest and booking records, and the District Attorney prosecutes felony cases that occur within the county. A major drug trafficking investigation led by the state Attorney General and Wayne County Sheriff in recent years resulted in dozens of convictions.

Wayne County Clerk and Felony Court Records

The Wayne County Clerk's Office acts as clerk to the Supreme and County Courts in Lyons. All felony case files are housed there. This includes indictments, plea records, sentencing documents, and judgments of conviction. Records from Supreme Court civil and criminal matters are also on file. The office is the primary point for anyone searching Wayne County felony records in person.

Felony case records are kept permanently under state retention rules. Misdemeanor files are held for 25 years past the disposition. To find a specific record, the index number and year of filing make the search straightforward. If those details are not available, provide a full legal name and date of birth. Copy fees are $0.65 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00. Additional search fees may apply when staff need to go through older records on your behalf. Town and village court records are filed locally at those courts, not with the County Clerk.

Sealed records are not available to the public. CPL Section 160.50 seals dismissed and acquitted cases automatically. CPL Section 160.59 gives eligible people a path to seal certain older convictions. These files stay closed unless a court order says otherwise.

Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Felony Arrest Records

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office creates arrest records for every person booked on a felony charge. Records show the date of arrest, the charges, and booking information. The office also runs the county jail and provides court security. These arrest records are separate from full criminal history records kept by DCJS.

A notable case in Wayne County involved a joint investigation between the Sheriff's Office and the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force. The probe uncovered a large drug trafficking network that resulted in 47 convictions. Over 10 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine worth more than $9 million were seized along with 19 firearms and $440,000 in cash. Several leaders were sentenced to prison terms of up to 25 years. Michael Danzey received a 25-year sentence through Wayne County Court for his role in the operation.

FOIL requests for arrest records go to the Sheriff's Records Access Officer. Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90 require a response within five business days. Copy fees under FOIL are 25 cents per page or less. For people serving state prison time, the DOCCS Inmate Lookup is available online. The Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name or location.

Statewide Search Options for Felony Records

The OCA Criminal History Record Search charges $95 per name and searches conviction data from every county in New York. The match is exact on name and date of birth. Results arrive within one business day for online applications. These results are not certified. A certified disposition can only come from the court that handled the case.

To check your own criminal record, use the DCJS Record Review. It costs $63.50 and needs fingerprints submitted through an authorized vendor. DCJS provides two versions of the response. The unsuppressed one includes all records, even those sealed under CPL 160.50, 160.55, 160.58, 160.59, and 720.35. The suppressed version skips sealed items. Processing takes 7 to 10 business days.

Court documents filed electronically are available through the NYSCEF portal. The NYS court records help page explains how to request records from any court in the state system.

Wayne County Felony Record Sealing and Clean Slate

New York's Clean Slate Act went into effect on November 16, 2024. The law calls for OCA to build an automatic sealing system over three years. Once running, misdemeanor convictions will seal 3 years after the sentence ends. Felonies seal after 8 years. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies, including murder, are excluded. Until the system is done, records that will eventually be sealed still appear in searches.

CPL Section 160.58 covers certain drug convictions where the person completed a treatment program. CPL Section 720.35 keeps youthful offender adjudications out of public records. Correction Law Section 9 directs DOCCS to remove information from public access 3 years after someone completes their sentence. FOIL requests for Wayne County felony records should be directed to the Records Access Officer at the specific office that holds the records you need.

How to Search Wayne County Felony Records

Here are the main ways to find felony records in Wayne County.

• Visit the Wayne County Clerk's Office in Lyons for in-person court record searches
• Run a CHRS search for $95 to check statewide conviction records
• Submit a FOIL request to the Wayne County Sheriff for arrest data
• Search DOCCS Inmate Lookup for state prison inmates
• Check the NYSCEF system for electronically filed court documents

For certified copies of a court disposition, contact the court that handled the original case. The DCJS Record Review is available if you want to check your own criminal history through the state's fingerprint-based system.

Cities in Wayne County

Wayne County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. The county includes the villages of Lyons, Newark, Clyde, Sodus, and Palmyra, plus a number of rural towns. All felony cases from anywhere in Wayne County go through the County Court in Lyons.

Nearby Counties

Surrounding counties keep their own felony records through separate clerk offices and court systems.